Las Vegas Review-Journal Revamps Print, Web Edition

The Review-Journal’s website was upgraded with a new design and improved functionality.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal delivered quite a surprise when it rolled out a brand new nameplate across the first Sunday print edition in April. Featuring a bold red and black Rockwell logotype font above an illustration of the iconic Las Vegas Strip, the fresh look provided readers with just a taste of the changes made to the paper’s print product and website.

“I think universally those at the paper, from the publisher on down, felt like we needed to get a fresher design that reflected Las Vegas better,” said editor-in-chief Keith Moyer. “This is a unique city that demands a unique look.”

The print redesign included a new masthead and front page.

While the Review-Journal’s own design staff contributed on the project, newspaper consultant J. Ford Huffman served as the primary person in charge of the redesign, which took nearly six months to complete. According to Moyer, the Review-Journal hadn’t experienced any significant redesign since 2000.

“We wanted something that had a modern feel, better organization, more graphic displays, and essentially make the paper easier for our readers to navigate from front to back,” Moyer said. “The positive feedback so far tells us that we’ve achieved that.”

Some of the key alterations made for print include a new Sunday section which covers various lifestyle topics each week and the introduction of a daily column on the left side of the front page which suggests stories that are “Must-Reads.” Meanwhile, John Katsilometes’ popular column, “Kats!” now runs next to “What Happens in Vegas,” a new feature that offers readers fun and interesting things to do in town.

Moyer also noted that the paper has expanded its national and world news coverage as well.

The paper’s online home (reviewjournal.com) produced an easier to use website with improved navigation capabilities, enhanced topical story structure, faster video viewing and better search functions.

“It has a more cosmopolitan feel to it now,” Moyer said. “We focused on developing a classy look that was extremely functional.”

Keith Moyer

To support the relaunch, the paper embarked on its first multimedia marketing campaign in more than six years. Revolving around an original theme song, “At the Speed of Life,” written by Pat Caddick, an award-winning Las Vegas composer, the campaign highlights the Review-Journal’s coverage of news, community and life in the city.

“We not only redesigned everything but also saw a chance to rebrand the Review-Journal as a whole. The song has been part of our overall thrust of reintroducing the paper to the community,” Moyer said. “These days it’s important to get more people thinking about your paper in a different way.”

One thought on “Las Vegas Review-Journal Revamps Print, Web Edition”

Looks pretty, but will it sell papers? Too much of the time, I’m treated to stories about redesigns for function, appearance and “getting more people thinking about papers in a different way,” but nothing about their impact on paid circulation and advertising revenue. The style of a newspaper may be an attractive place to focus attention, but the substance has remained unchanged since Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli defined it, two centuries ago: “It is a business of buying paper for a pence and selling it for six pence.”